Sean “Diddy” Combs has filed a defamation lawsuit in opposition to Courtney Burgess, who claimed to be in possession of movies exhibiting the disgraced mogul sexually assaulting celebrities and folks believed to be minors.
Burgess’ lawyer Ariel Mitchell and Nexstar Media Inc., which operates NewsNation, have been additionally named within the go well with which was filed in New York on Wednesday, Selection reviews.
“Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs is taking a stand in opposition to the malicious falsehoods which were fabricated and amplified by people searching for to revenue at his expense,” Combs’ lawyer Erica Wolff stated in an announcement. “These defendants have willfully fabricated and disseminated outrageous lies with reckless disregard for the reality.”
In accordance with the New York Instances, Burgess claimed he acquired these alleged movies by means of a mutual acquaintance for the late Kim Porter, who shared 4 youngsters with Combs and died in 2018. Burgess additionally claimed he was given a tough draft of Porter’s memoir. Burgess was was subpoenaed for grand jury testimony in Diddy’s upcoming trial.
On the identical day that he testified earlier than a federal grand jury, Burgess was interviewed on NewsNation, alongside Mitchell, the place he not solely reiterated his declare of possessing these movies, however alleged “two to a few” of the celebrities within the footage could possibly be underage.
Mitchell is accused of knowingly peddling Burgess’ false claims and making appearances on the Peacock documentary The Making of a Dangerous Boy and one other for NewsNation the place she asserted “there have already got been tapes leaking round Hollywood, being shopped round to people in Hollywood.”
The criticism accuses NewsNation of airing these allegations with out doing their due diligence.
In accordance with the New York Instances, Burgess testified earlier than a grand jury that he disposed of the unique flash drives containing the movies, however his telephone and e-mail may nonetheless have the movies. His telephone has since been seized.
Combs maintains he has by no means met Burgess, nor has anybody in his household. The criticism states Porter’s youngsters and roommate of 20 years by no means heard of Burgess.
Burgess additionally stated he has by no means met Combs.
“Their falsehoods have poisoned public notion and contaminated the jury pool,” Wolff added. “This criticism ought to function a warning that such intentional falsehoods, which undermine Mr. Combs’s proper to a good trial, will not be tolerated.”
Combs is searching for $50 million in financial and punitive damages, to “maintain the defendants accountable for his or her malicious and reckless conduct,” in line with the lawsuit.
“I stay up for countersuing and making certain the courtroom punishes not solely Diddy but additionally his attorneys who filed this pathetic lawsuit for this frivolous and meritless submitting,” Mitchell stated in an announcement to the New York Instances.
Final 12 months, Combs was arrested on racketeering and intercourse trafficking costs. He’s at the moment being held on the Metropolitan Detention Middle in Brooklyn whereas awaiting trial in Could.